Here comes the final stretch of the WNBA season. With only ten games left in the season, the Minnesota Lynx looked to put a dagger in the race to the number one seed as they took on the second-place Atlanta Dream on Thursday night.
It was the Lynx’s fifth straight game without Napheesa Collier, who was upgraded from doubtful to questionable before the game before eventually being ruled out. The new pregame injury designation may point to this being her final game on the injury list, but Lynx fans
will have to wait to see on that.
The game started strong for Bridget Carleton, for scored the Lynx’s first eight points of the game, including a pair of 3-pointers. She had been struggling the past few games, so seeing the ball go through the basket in this game can hopefully get her season back on track.
The Lynx were able to build a nine-point first-quarter lead before their offense hit a complete roadblock for the remainder of the quarter. The Lynx would turn the ball over a total of 13 times in the first half, matching their season average for a full game this season.
The drought led to a 15-0 run by Atlanta that put Minnesota down by six. The Lynx were finally able to start controlling the basketball, but it was not enough to retake the lead before halftime as they trailed 42-40 at the break.
The improved play continued through the third quarter, where the Lynx outscored the Dream 20-12 in the frame to take a six-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately, just like the first half, the Dream went on another extended run, scoring the first 12 points of the fourth quarter. The Lynx were held scoreless for more than six minutes at the start of the quarter. The backbreaker for the Lynx came a minute and a half left when, after an offensive rebound, Rhyne Howard knocked down a 3-pointer to extend the Dream’s lead from two to five.
The Lynx didn’t go down without a fight, though. With less than a minute left, Alanna Smith put in a corner 3-pointer to cut the deficit back down to two. On the next possession, the Lynx forced an eight-second violation, but were unable to capitalize as Smith missed a layup that would have tied the game.
The Lynx forced another eight-second violation with 12 seconds, but again could not tie the game as the game-tying layup slipped out of Courtney Williams’ hand. The Lynx retained possession after the shot, but the ball again slipped out of Williams’ grasp for the game-ending turnover as the Lynx lost 75-73.
Williams had possibly the worst game of her season, scoring just six points on 3-14 shooting, along with five turnovers. Court has had an incredible season this year, but this was one for her to forget. Carleton led the Lynx with 16 points, her season high. She put in four 3-pointers to go along with six rebounds.
The Lynx won their first three games without Collier, but now have lost two straight for the first time this season. They still maintain a 5.5-game lead over the Dream for first place in the WNBA, needing to win just four of their final nine games to clinch the top seed.
Up Next
The Lynx now head out on their final back-to-back of the season as they take on the Indiana Fever tomorrow night at 6:30 PM CT on ION Television. It is the first of two games against Indiana as they return home on Sunday to play the Fever again, this time at Target Center.
